Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES good, swinging strides, as this action helps to produce a good stride-length for the actual sprint, and also tends to eliminate any natural faults the athlete may have. When the coach comes to actual sprint training he will have to decide, in consultation with his athletes, which type of start each of them is going to use. First of all he will teach his athletes how to dig their holes. The distances at which they are dug will vary with the height and length ofleg of the sprinter, and also with the type of start he is going to use. The front hole should be about 2t ins. deep and inclined back at an angle of about 45°. The back hole should be somewhat deeper, usually about 3t ins., so that the .ball of the foot can make secure contact with the back wall of the hole, which must be vertical. The holes must have firm back walls, and should be dug properly with a trowel. Another point is that the hole for the rear foot must be directly in line behind the knee, so that the drive out of that hole is perfectly straight forward . When the coach, or the starter, gives the spl-inter the order "Get on your mark " the athlete should place his left foot, if he has a right dominant, in the front hole and fix his spikes firmly into the track. He should next place his hands on the starting-line, and not till that has been done should he place his right foot in the rear hole. He must take care not to break down the rear walls . For athletes with a left dominant the process will, of course, be reversed. The coach must teach his sprinters particularly not to hurry in getting on their marks, because if.the athlete is not careful he may make the mistake of stepping into both holes, which will leave him with his rear leg in a weak position when the gun is fired. If the Bullet Start, which has been proved to be the fastest, is to be used, then the athlete will place his left foot, if he has a right dominant, about r8 ins. to rg ins. behind the starting-line and, in a standing position, the toe of his right (back) foot opposite the heel of his front foot. This means to say that the front hole should be dug r8 ins. to rg ins. behind .the scratch-line, and the back hole some 29 ins. to 30 ins. behind the scratch-line. If the normal, or medium, start is to be used, then the knee of the back leg should come opposite the hollow of the front foot when the athlete is in the kneeling position. In this case the front hole should be dug from 15 ins. to r6 ins. behind the scratch-line, and the rear hole from 34 ins. to 36 ins. behind the scratch-line. Properly speaking, r8o